Kitchen + Bathroom | Kitchen Styles
THE SINGLE LINE KITCHEN
Generally used in small
apartments when space is limited.
Try to use a wall without windows
or doors to maximise the storage
capacity. If the length is too long
it can be unsuitable, as walking
from one side of the room to the
other in one line is not as practical
as the galley or island kitchen
where the work centres can be
brought closer together.
RIGHT A sleek Single Line kitchen design
which includes a scullery at the far end.
Designed by Beaver Kitchens.
BELOW This U-Shape Kitchen by Du
Bois Design has a continuous work
surface — practical when moving
from the hob to the sink. A breakfast
bar keeps others out of the working
area so you can move around without
bumping into others.
THE U-SHAPE KITCHEN
SHAPING UP
IN THE KITCHEN
Whether you are renovating or starting from scratch, deciding
which kitchen layout you want can be a difficult task. Kitchen
designer Natalie Du Bois talks us through some options.
There is no right or wrong layout in a kitchen. Each offers different
benefits to you and your home. Often the shape of the room dictates the way the
kitchen should be placed. The working triangle used to be what people based a
kitchen layout on but nowadays there is more to kitchens than an oven, sink and
fridge freezer. We need to consider so much more which means we end up with several
working triangles. I tend to base my designs around “kitchen activity centres” like
cooking, preparing and cleaning. Careful consideration needs to be placed on the
distances between these centres. If they are too close it can feel cramped but if they
are too far it can become a chore to do anything. The following examples show six
common kitchen layouts.
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ABOVE The kiwi favourite —
an Island kitchen in an open
plan setting. This kitchen
can be viewed in Jennian
Homes Anselmi Ridge show
home in Pukekohe.
This is where there are three sides to
your kitchen, with two adjoining corners.
Usually three walls are used for the
kitchen storage or a peninsula if the
space is open plan. This is a practical
space, but make sure that you do not have
to walk too far between work stations.
Usually more benchtop and storage space
is created but this can be inaccessible
due to hard-to-reach corners. Storage
mechanisms are available through kitchen
hardware suppliers to minimise this.
These generally help with access but not
in creating extra storage. Also bear in
mind that most benchtop surfaces will
require joins somewhere − if you prefer a
seamless look you might want to opt for
products like corian, timber or stainless
steel where the joins are not visible. Granite
and quartz composites come in sheets, so
in a U-Shape kitchen at least one join will
be visible. In smaller U-Shape kitchens you
will need to pay attention to the distances
between opening doors, especially fridges
and dishwashers.
homestyle | June/July 09 | 65
Kitchen + Bathroom | Kitchen Styles
THE ISLAND KITCHEN
Today’s most popular layout for a
kitchen — especially in New Zealand.
These kitchens are great for the
way we like to live, with a social
and family focus. An island kitchen
means we have several ways into a
kitchen. Great for people with young
children because you can keep an
eye on them and access them more
easily. They also can be designed
to direct people to the outskirts of
the kitchen allowing for a definitive
work space. Be careful that you don’t
put an island into a space that is too
small for an island; it will quickly
become an obstacle if you have to
walk around it in order to get to
somewhere that should have been a
couple of paces away.
which layout works for you?
Before deciding which layout to have in
your kitchen here are some questions
to consider:
• How many people need to be able to
work in this kitchen?
• How much benchtop space is
adequate for you?
• How much storage space do
you need?
• How many preparation surfaces are
sufficient for you to work on?
• Do you like to have privacy while
working in a kitchen or are you a
social entertainer who is happy to
have people included in the activities
of food preparation?
• How much do you want to invest in
your kitchen?
RIGHT Island kitchens create two or three
ways to access a kitchen. In this Kube
design by Snaidero of Italy the back wall
has the cooking and cleaning area while
the island can be used for preparation,
dining and socialising.
THE GALLEY KITCHEN
The galley kitchen runs along two
parallel walls. This is a very practical
kitchen as everything is usually
closeby. It is a favoured design for
professional chefs. Having two rows
running parallel means it’s easy to
move between activities. If the space
is too narrow it can get congested,
so make sure there is enough room
between opposite benchtops. Check
openings of ovens, dishwasher doors
and fridges to make sure that you can
access everything and they don’t clash.
If possible a galley kitchen should
not be integrated into a home where
the kitchen area is the only access to
adjoining rooms as this will create
too much congestion. This is a perfect
design for those who like to work in a
compact kitchen on their own or with a
partner but is not ideal for people who
like to socialise in the kitchen.
LEFT A Galley style kitchen using
plywood and stainless steel. Designed
and manufactured by W.F Wilson
Kitchenmakers in Tauranga.
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THE L-SHAPE KITCHEN
Ideal for country kitchens where the
centre area accommodates a central
table and chairs. Having a table in
the centre usually means through-
traffic is kept to a minimum. This type
of kitchen can accommodate several
people working at the same time. The
table can be used for preparing too, an
added advantage.
ABOVE An L-Shaped kitchen in a large open
plan setting from Vivo Kitchen Furniture.
LEFT When the door is closed it neatly
hides away this Stonewood Homes kitchen
scullery leaving an open plan space —
without the clutter.
THE “SEPARATE IDENTITY” KITCHEN
This is where the main kitchen is in a
separate room from a larder or scullery.
If the room is large enough separate
areas can be closed off and used for
various functions like a scullery area
for cleaning. This is especially good
for people who love socialising in their
kitchens but like to hide areas which
can become messy. These tend to be
designed into new homes more than
renovated kitchens as you can dictate
the size of the room easier. The ‘modern’
scullery or larder is now being used
as a secondary kitchen as opposed to
just food storage. Often benchtops
with a second sink and dishwasher are
designed into this area, along with a
microwave area. •
Owner of Auckland based company Du Bois
Design Ltd, Natalie Du Bois designs kitchens,
bathrooms and laundries nationwide.
Visit Natalie at www.duboisdesign.co.nz
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